A Classical Greek Attic Pottery Portrait Roundel c.5-7thC B.C

Object Description

The beautiful Greek style attic pottery portrait roundel, depicting a bearded classical figure in side profile, facing to dexter, within a stylised border, and surviving from 5thC-7thC B.C.

Object History

The Collection of Caponini, purchased from Sotheby’s 17/12/1997.

Object Literature

Previously of the collection of Caponini, this piece was purchased by the vendor’s father from Sotheby’s on 17/12/1997. The vendor’s grandfather started the collection. Joseph Duncan Steel born in Southampton in 1910, and was a son of a White Star Line Captain and an engineer by trade, hence his love of things well made. He was a poet and historian by nature with an endless curiosity, all qualities which led to his passion for collecting in the 1950/60s, including the family car – a 1936 Rolls Royce. His father was Roberto Gnisci, born in Rome in 1942, he was an engineer by profession, but purchased his first Roman coin at the age of 8 and continued to pursue his passion for collecting antiquities throughout his life, especially between 1970s to late 1990s.

Around 625-600 B.C.E., Athens adopted the black-figure technique (i.e., dark-colored figures on a light background with incised detail). Originating in Corinth almost a century earlier, black-figure uses the silhouette manner in conjunction with added color and incision. The overall attractive quality of Greek vases, their relatively small size, and—at one point in time—their easily obtainable nature, led them to be highly coveted collector’s items during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This figure is quite similar to that of Croesus (r. 560-546 BCE) .

A bonafide collectors item dovetailing as a beautifully decorative object.

Object Condition

The condition of the roundel is good throughout with only one chip to the reverse as photographed. The facing side has expected wear due to the considerable age but nothing out of the ordinary with the features still crisp and sharp. There is a attachment to the reverse mentioning the items provenance and a price of $3000.

Object Details